Okay, so countless times people have suggested this:

previous costume :: looks

I personally don't like this idea. But we have a next costume block, and a next backdrop block. In the backdrop block, you can choose these options:

switch backdrop to [next backdrop v]
switch backdrop to [previous backdrop v]

But for some reason, you can't choose them on the "switch costume to “ block?
Why is it like this? For the costumes, it should be just like the backdrop blocks are (a dropdown option), and we shouldn't have the simple ”next costume“ or ”next backdrop" blocks. So why are the blocks so inconsistent?

Thanks to hedgehog_blue for a table of the inconsistency:

There is a

next costume

block. You want a previous costume block. There isn't one. What do you do?

By solving that problem you learn how to do programming.

minor-edit wrote:

By solving that problem you learn how to do programming.

You might want to be a bit nicer next time.

JackK211424 wrote:

You might want to be a bit nicer next time.

???

minor-edit wrote:

There is a

next costume

block. You want a previous costume block. There isn't one. What do you do?

By solving that problem you learn how to do programming.

You don't seem to understand my post in any way. I said specifically I don't like the idea of a previous costume block.

I said that the blocks themselves, their design, is inconsistent (and flawed).
I am well aware of the workaround.

minor-edit wrote:

JackK211424 wrote:

You might want to be a bit nicer next time.

???

Yes, your post was rude. It seemed to imply I didn't know how to program.

Please read posts and understand them before replying.

I did not mean to offend.

Revised answer:

The reason why all options are not given is so programming problem-solving techniques can be learned.

(This applies equally to all of us.)

minor-edit wrote:

I did not mean to offend.

Revised answer:

The reason why all options are not given is so programming problem-solving techniques can be learned.

(This applies equally to all of us.)

So it sounds like your preference is to remove the “next” and “previous” options from the “switch backdrop” block.

But what would happen to the projects that already use them?

Okay, I've organized them into a table, so we can see the inconsistency.

It seems like the specific blocks (blocks for just “next”) are good, because there is a next block for both costumes and backdrops (previous is used less, so either using the option within the switch block or coding normally is okay; you've already mentioned this).

The main inconsistency is the specific option within the switch backdrop block, which would best be just removed, because it looks like it already was removed from the switch costume block. It also has the small issue that it doesn't work when you have a costume/backdrop named next/previous backdrop :)



Edit [2020-04-26] visual improved for better graphics and more information [view old version]

hedgehog_blue wrote:

So it sounds like your preference is to remove the “next” and “previous” options from the “switch backdrop” block.

The code for costumes and backdrops is nearly identical. Learning how to do it once is sufficient.

hedgehog_blue wrote:

But what would happen to the projects that already use them?

Code that does the same thing can be substituted. The math operators and costume numbers in the table could be used. But seeing more options in one place and thinking how could I do that in another place would be lost.

Would the random backdrop option also be taken away?

minor-edit wrote:

I did not mean to offend.

Revised answer:

The reason why all options are not given is so programming problem-solving techniques can be learned.

(This applies equally to all of us.)

Please read here: https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/274744/

hedgehog_blue wrote:

-snip-

That's a great table! Can I use it in the OP?

Also, I'm thinking about wording this more like a suggestion to improve the consistency, but right now I'm just sort of asking what the deal is.

Honestly, I would rather get rid of the blocks specifically for next costume and backdrop, leave the dropdown options in the backdrop block, and add them to the costume block. This would make it consistent. We could just replace next costume/backdrop blocks with “switch costume/backdrop to next/previous costume/backdrop.”

Or we could add blocks XD I don't really know.

minor-edit wrote:

The code for costumes and backdrops is nearly identical.

Not nearly identical, actually. The whole thing I'm saying is that they're inconsistent (and it really, really bothers me, inconsistency does), and impractical.

Bump.

hedgehog_blue wrote:

-snip-

Thanks for the updated table! I've put it in the OP